LANDLORD & TENANT RESOURCES
| California Tenants: A Guide to Residential Tenants' and Landlords' Rights and Responsibilities State of California Department of Consumer Affairs, Consumer Assistance |
Legal Assistance for Tenants
| Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County |
Legal Assistance for Landlords
| Lawyer Referral Service, San Mateo County Bar Association www.smcba.org/community/lrs.htm 650-369-4149 Northern California Senior Legal Hotline www.seniorlegalhotline.org 515 12th St, Sacramento, CA 95814 916-551-2140 in Sacramento 800-222-1753 Small Claims Court www.sanmateocourt.org/director.php?filename=./smallclaims/index.html Northern Branch (South San Francisco) 877-5775 Central Branch (San Mateo) 573-2605 Southern Branch (Redwood City) 363-4303 Small Claims Mediation Program www.sanmateocourt.org/director.php?filename=./adr/smallclaims/index.html 650-573-3907 |
Legal Assistance on the web
| California Courts Self-Help Center www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp This site offers no legal advice, but links to sites on finding legal help and learning California landlord/tenant law. Free and low-cost help in Landlord/Tenant matters. Landlord/Tenant links. Eviction information and forms. NOLO Press www.nolo.com/encyclopedia/lt_ency.html Self-help for landlords and tenants. Includes Ten Tips for Being a Successful Landlord; Landlord-Tenant Dispute Resolution; Leases and Rental Agreements; Tenant Selection; Housing Rights of Disabled Tenants; Rent; Security Deposit; Repairs and Maintenance; Tenants' Right to Privacy; Landlord Liability; Evictions; Landlord-Tenant Legal Codes for 50 States. California Public Interest Research Group - CALPIRG www.calpirg.org/ (Click on Consumer Program) Federal, state and local information on: security deposits, eviction process, maintenance & repairs, rental payments & insurance. Provides links to further assistance. U.C. Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies, California Local Codes & Charters www.igs.berkeley.edu/library/calcodes.html Codes and charters of California cities and towns. California State Laws www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html Keyword search of all 29 codes of California State law. Texts of codes available. Northern California Senior Legal Hotline www.seniorlegalhotline.org 515 12th St, Sacramento, CA 95814 916-551-2140 in Sacramento 800-222-1753 |
HOUSING/RENTAL ASSISTANCE
| Overview www.smchsa.org/smc/department/home/0,,15587572_18213334_19553074,00.html The Core Service Centers are a network of seven agencies that provide San Mateo County residents with information and referral, emergency assistance, case management and other services. While services provided are often on a case-by-case basis, typical critical needs provided include food, housing assistance, rental assistance, shelter referrals, clothing, transportation, utility assistance, translation assistance, forms assistance, landlord/tenant information and referral, mediation assistance, advocacy, and infant needs. |
Individual Core Service Centers
| Coastside Opportunity Center | Serves: El Granada, Half Moon Bay, La Honda, Montara, Moss Beach, Pescadero, San Gregorio Languages: English, Tagalog, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Daly City Community Service Center | Serves: Daly City, Broadmoor, Colma Languages: English, Tagalog, Spanish |
| Fair Oaks Community Center | Serves: Redwood City, Portola Valley, North Fair Oaks, Woodside, Atherton Languages: English and Spanish |
| El Concilio Emergency Services (East Palo Alto) | Serves: East Palo Alto, Menlo Park Languages: English, Spanish |
| North Peninsula Neighborhood Service Center | Serves: South San Francisco, San Bruno, Brisbane Languages: English and Spanish |
| Pacifica Resource Center www.ci.pacifica.ca.us/CITYHALL/div_rc.html 1809 Palmetto Ave, Pacifica, CA 94044 650-738-7470 | Serves: Pacifica, north of Devils Slide Languages: English and Spanish |
| Samaritan House www.samaritanhouse.com 401 North Humboldt St, San Mateo, CA 94401 650-347-3648 | Serves: San Mateo, Burlingame, Millbrae, Hillsborough, Belmont, San Carlos, Foster City Languages: English, Spanish, and Tongan |
Other Housing/Rental Resources
| San Mateo County Human Services Agency, Office of Housing 262 Harbor Blvd, Bldg. A, San Mateo, CA 94002 |
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San Mateo County Aging and Adult Services |
| Project Sentinel |
| Human Investment Project (HIP Housing) HIP Housing creates permanent housing solutions in San Mateo County through Homesharing, Self-Sufficiency and Home Equity Conversion Counseling Programs, as well as through owned and managed properties. |
HUD/Section 8 Housing
| U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is charged with enforcing federal statutes that prohibit discrimination on the bases of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, and disability. These statutes cover state and local governments, post-secondary educational institutions, and federal contractors and subcontractors that receive HUD financial assistance. Department of Justice regulations have designated HUD as responsible for compliance procedures for individual complaints brought under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. 28 C.F.R. Ž35.190(a)-(d). A new feature on the HUD web site enables residents or potential residents to file a fair housing complaint online. These complaints are electronically sent to the regional office and will review the complaint within 20 days. If the regional office finds that the facts warrant a fair housing claim, they will send the claim to the HUD investigation branch. Copies of the complaint will be sent to both parties involved. The accused party must respond within 10 days. Log onto www.hud.gov and click on "File a housing discrimination complaint." |
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San Mateo County Human Services Agency Housing Authority For Section 8 and public housing in San Mateo County |
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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development |
| U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development |
| U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development |
| National Housing Law Project www.nhlp.org 614 Grand Ave, Ste. 320, Oakland, CA 94610 510-251-9400 National housing law and advocacy center provides legal assistance, advocacy advice and housing expertise to legal services, attorneys, and low-income housing advocacy groups. Information on Public Housing, HUD Rental Housing and Section 8 Certificate and Voucher Programs. |
| California Housing Finance Agency www.calhfa.ca.gov Section 8 and low-income rental units listed by county. |
Housing Discrimination
| Project Sentinel www.housing.org/ 525 Middlefield Road, Suite 200, Redwood City, CA 94063 650-321-6291 Investigates housing discrimination complaints in San Mateo County cities north of Redwood City and on the Coastside. |
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Midpeninsula Citizens for Fair Housing |
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California Department of Fair Employment and Housing |
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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development |
Communication Assistance and Conflict Resolution
| Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center www.pcrcweb.org 520 S. El Camino Real, Ste. 640, San Mateo, CA 94402 650-513-0330 Among other services, Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center offers help with communicating and resolving problems between landlords and tenants. As a neutral party, we help people focus on ways to come to a mutual agreement they can support. Can handle bilingual (Spanish) calls |
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Project Sentinel Mediation is a process in which a neutral, trained mediator meets with all parties in a dispute to help them try to resolve their conflict. The mediator helps the parties to express their views and to understand one another and then to reach a solution. Most cases that come to mediation are successfully resolved. Utilizes AT&T Language Line service. |
| Small Claims Mediation Program www.sanmateocourt.org/director.php?filename=./adr/smallclaims/index.html 650-573-3907 This program provides on-site mediation services. If a case settles in mediation, the court will not proceed with the small claims hearing, but rather will note in the court file that the parties reached a mediated settlement. For more information, contact the program coordinator at 650-573-3907. |
| San Mateo County | San Mateo County
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| San Mateo County Human Services Agency, Housing Authority www.smchsa.org/housing 650-802-3300 | San Mateo County
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| San Mateo County Human Services Agency, Office of Housing www.smchsa.org/housing 650-802-5050 | San Mateo County Clerk, Assessor, Recorder, Elections Office www.care.co.sanmateo.ca.us 650-363-4713 |
| Atherton www.ci.atherton.ca.us | Menlo Park | |
| Belmont www.belmont.gov | Millbrae www.ci.millbrae.ca.us | |
| Brisbane www.ci.brisbane.ca.us | Pacifica www.ci.pacifica.ca.us | |
| Burlingame www.burlingame.org | Portola Valley www.portolavalley.net | |
| Colma www.colma.ca.gov | Redwood City | |
| Daly City www.ci.daly-city.ca.us | San Bruno www.ci.sanbruno.ca.us | |
| East Palo Alto www.ci.east-palo-alto.ca.us | San Carlos www.ci.san-carlos.ca.us | |
| Foster City www.fostercity.org | San Mateo www.cityofsanmateo.org | |
| Half Moon Bay cityhall.half-moon-bay.ca.us | South San Francisco www.ssf.net | |
| Hillsborough | Woodside |
Landlord/Property Manager Resources
| Tri-County Apartment Association |
| California Apartment Association |
| www.Landlord.com Downloadable forms for landlords' use: |
| San Mateo County Human Services Agency Office of Housing www.smchsa.org/housing 650-802-3300 For information on Section 8 housing program, a federally funded, nationwide rent subsidy program |
Books and Pamphlets
State of California Department of Consumer Affairs, Consumer Assistance
400 R. St, Room 1040, Sacramento, CA 95814
800-952-5210 or 916-445-1254
(TDD) 916-322-1700
California Tenants' Rights 16th ed.
Brown, David and Portman, Janet, Berkeley, CA: Nolo Press, 2005.
The California Landlord's Law Book: Rights & Responsibilities, 11th ed.
Brown, David, et al. Berkeley, CA: Nolo Press, 2004.
The California Landlord's Law Book, Evictions, 11th ed.
Brown, David. Berkeley, CA: Nolo Press, 2005.